Over the past week, viewers have been posting their reactions to Where Soldiers Come From, a four-year journey of childhood friends who join the National Guard and are deployed from a snowy town in northern Michigan to the mountains of Afghanistan.

“…It’s brilliant. One of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen and perhaps the best one about the effects of war on working class families. … I will never forget this film.”— tamblyn

“Wonderfully accurate and well done. Gotta love PBS. I too am a veteran of the service. 3rd bn 2nd Marines I Co. I did 4 tours in 4 years, 2 of those in almost constant enemy contact in the Anbar province of Iraq. It took me at least 2 years to start to reintegrate to society and attempt college again. Its definitely not easy and God bless those who served before me those who are serving and will serve in the future.”— Johneusmc

“The film did an excellent job of portraying deployments. It’s hard to talk to people about the environment and then people who haven’t gone through it don’t get it.”— Kay

“I was glued to this documentary. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more real. Thank you to the men for their service and thank you for bringing it to us through your film.”— Razorback

“I watched Where Soldiers Come From last night. It left me feeling such sadness for how war changes the lives of those who fight.”— @nortman (via Twitter)

“There is such a divide between the military and civilian world in the U.S., Heather Courtney has done a wonderful job of trying to bridge the two. … The most stunning scene of the entire film for me was the outpouring of emotion and thanksgiving of the entire Michigan home town at the soldiers’ return.”— Aaron

“Being a Yooper and the mother of a son who was deployed for 3 tours in Iraq, I watched this film sharing the same tears, fears and joys of the family members of each of the soldiers. I did, surprisingly, learn a lot from the soldiers’ experiences which my son has not, at this point, shared with me. The openness of the soliders brought me a greater understanding of what my son felt and experienced during his tours.”— limonen

“This documentary was absolutely awesome! It made my heart drop in certain parts, mostly when they were in Afghanistan, but most of all it was eye opening to why most young people are enlisting, which I felt someone needed to reveal.”— Shovondia Sainvil (via Facebook)

“This was an incredible documentary… the cinematography was breathtaking, the guys were so compelling, and… it really opened my eyes (as someone who doesn’t personally know anyone in the military) to what these soldiers go through. I also bawled my eyes out every time Cole’s mom started crying.”— Sara Miller (via Facebook)

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POV (a cinema term for "point of view") is television's longest-running showcase for independent non-fiction films. POV premieres 14-16 of the best, boldest and most innovative programs every year on PBS. Since 1988, POV has presented over 400 films to public television audiences across the country. POV films are known for their intimacy, their unforgettable storytelling and their timeliness, putting a human face on contemporary social issues.